Paying the workers who work for him from his zakah to settle the debts they owe
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Fatwa number ( 19889 )
Q: I have a question, and I seek nothing from it but good, righteousness, and assistance. The matter is this: I work for an organization whose owner is known as a person of good, and we do not praise anyone before Allah, but I and all the workers in this organization complain about the low salary, even though the owner testifies to their trustworthiness and sincerity. All the workers have debts to this organization without exception, due to the low salary and the lack of raises or incentive bonuses. Everyone is working, but they are working because it is obligatory upon them, yet they are not satisfied with the situation inside the organization. The question here is: If the owner of the organization pays part of the workers' debts from the zakah, especially since they are unable to settle their debts because most of them have families and rent, and a sum is deducted from their salary monthly according to the mood of the owner of this organization, and the worker is surprised at the end of the month that the deduction has increased and that his salary will not be sufficient,
what are but a few days until he returns to borrow, and the owner of the organization distributes his zakah in Ramadan, and there are some who do not qualify for zakah, and gatherings increase in front of the workplace and the home, and it is not known which of these people qualify for zakah, so he merely distributes it. Please issue a ruling on this matter, may Allah reward you, because some have said that these workers do not qualify for zakah, knowing that the workers' salaries range between (800 riyals and 3000 riyals at most), and I ask you to send the answer back to me on the fax number or the address indicated below, and may Allah reward you with the best reward for us and for Islam.
A: If the owner of the organization pays the workers who work for him from his zakah to settle the debts they owe, and they are among the people eligible for zakah, and this is not done to exploit them or to make it a reward for them, then this is permissible and there is no harm in it. As for the workers settling the debts they owe to the organization where they work willingly, without coercion from the organization or any condition, that is acceptable. However, if the owner of the organization deducts from the workers' debts from his zakah, that is not permissible; because of the protection of his wealth with his own wealth, since the worker may delay in settling his debts and drag out the matter with the organization, and the owner of the organization may resort to this trick to protect his wealth with his own wealth, and because zakah is taking and giving.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I have a question, and I seek nothing from it but good, righteousness, and assistance. The matter is this: I work for an organization whose owner is known as a person of good, and we do not praise anyone before Allah, but I and all the workers in this organization complain about the low salary, even though the owner testifies to their trustworthiness and sincerity. All the workers have debts to this organization without exception, due to the low salary and the lack of raises or incentive bonuses. Everyone is working, but they are working because it is obligatory upon them, yet they are not satisfied with the situation inside the organization. The question here is: If the owner of the organization pays part of the workers' debts from the zakah, especially since they are unable to settle their debts because most of them have families and rent, and a sum is deducted from their salary monthly according to the mood of the owner of this organization, and the worker is surprised at the end of the month that the deduction has increased and that his salary will not be sufficient,
what are but a few days until he returns to borrow, and the owner of the organization distributes his zakah in Ramadan, and there are some who do not qualify for zakah, and gatherings increase in front of the workplace and the home, and it is not known which of these people qualify for zakah, so he merely distributes it. Please issue a ruling on this matter, may Allah reward you, because some have said that these workers do not qualify for zakah, knowing that the workers' salaries range between (800 riyals and 3000 riyals at most), and I ask you to send the answer back to me on the fax number or the address indicated below, and may Allah reward you with the best reward for us and for Islam.
A: If the owner of the organization pays the workers who work for him from his zakah to settle the debts they owe, and they are among the people eligible for zakah, and this is not done to exploit them or to make it a reward for them, then this is permissible and there is no harm in it. As for the workers settling the debts they owe to the organization where they work willingly, without coercion from the organization or any condition, that is acceptable. However, if the owner of the organization deducts from the workers' debts from his zakah, that is not permissible; because of the protection of his wealth with his own wealth, since the worker may delay in settling his debts and drag out the matter with the organization, and the owner of the organization may resort to this trick to protect his wealth with his own wealth, and because zakah is taking and giving.
And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.